RELATIVE CLAUSES

Defining relative clauses

Non-defining relative clauses

Ana Ángeles López RodríguezIES Julio Caro BarojaFuenlabrada MadridAbril 2010

Defining relative clauses

PEOPLE: WHO OR THAT AS THE SUBJECT.

I´ve got a friend. He collects stamps.I´ve got a friend who/ that collects stamps.

This is Jean. She bought my car.I´ve got a friend. Jean is the person who/ that bought my car.

PEOPLE: WHO OR THAT AS THE SUBJECT.

When we talk about people, that can be used instead of who.

This is less common, but we still do it, especially in speech.

Have you met the boy that Sue is going to marry.

PEOPLE: WHO OR THAT AS THE SUBJECT.

My friends who live in Birmingham are coming next month.

Students who do not like revising before the exams get worse results.

PEOPLE: WHOM OR WHO AS OBJECT OR WITH PREPOSITIONS.WHOM IS THE OBJECT FORM OF WHO AND IT HAS TO BE USED AFTER PREPOSITIONS, ITS USE IS FORMAL.

this the person (who) I sold my car to. (speech) WHO can be omittedThis is the person to whom I sold my car. (formal)

THINGS & ANIMALS: WHICH OR THAT.

which

that

That can be used instead of whcich

in common speech.

THINGS & ANIMALS: WHICH OR THAT.

I love high heel shoes. I especially love the

Italian leather shoes.

I love Italian leather

shoes which are high heel.

Are these the Italian

high heel shoes that you bought for me?

POSSESSIVE: WHOSE

o Whose means of whom, and usually refers to people.

o Possessive + relative = WHOSE

This is the boy. His sister is staying with us.

This is the boy whose sister is staying with us.

PLACE: WHERE // TIME: WHEN

After words for time and place, we can use when and where as relatives.

Do you know a shop where I can find sandals? (…=a shop at which…)

I´ll never forget the day when I first met you. (…= the day on which…)

Non-defining relative clauses

DIFFERENCES : DEFINING OR NON-DEFINING

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES

They give relevant and important information to complete the meaning of the main clause.

When the relative pronoun is the object or goes with a preposition, it can be omitted.

We don´t use the commas to separate the relative clause.

NON-DEFINIG RELATIVE CLAUSES

They give extra information but not essential to understand the meaning of the main clause.

They go between commas. The relative pronouns are

never omitted. That is never used with

the non-defining relative clauses.

Sophia is more than 6 feet tall.Sohia is a world-famous model.

Sophia, who is more than 6 feet tall, is a world-famous model.

Alaska is a state not a city as you may know.I have never been to Alaska.I have never been to Alaska, which is a state not a

city as you may know.